A sinister new search engine lets users buy guns, drugs and credit card details with the click of a button.

Grams has been online for little more than a week, but it has been gaining in popularity and causing huge concern for the authorities.

It works by trawling the Darknet – a network accessible only by those who know its exact online address.

The site’s founder, known only as Gramsadmin, said he set it up in response to a growing demand for guns, drugs and other illegal goods.

He added in a webchat with WIRED magazine: “I noticed on the forums people were asking where to get product X, which market had product X and who had the best product X.

“I wanted to make it easy for people to find things they wanted on the Darknet and figure out who was a trustworthy vendor.”

Grams is similar to the website Silk Road, which was shut down last year after the arrest of alleged founder Ross Ulbricht.

It is available only to people who use a special internet browser called Tor, but those who have this can easily access the site and buy guns, ammo and heroin.

Grams has modelled itself on the Google search engine, using a similar method to generate results and even copying features such as the “I’m feeling lucky” button and the iconic coloured lettering.

In an online post, Gramsadmin said: “I am working on the algorithm, so it is a lot like Google’s. It will have a scoring system based how long the listing has been up, how many transactions [there have been] and how many good reviews. That way you will see the best listing first.”

The creator also told of his ambition to turn a profit “within two weeks”.

He wrote: “Grams will have a system similar to Google Adwords where vendors can buy keywords so their listings go to the top of results.”